Another furry year
by jacquisup
Summary: Sequel to 'You hurt your own cub' Going into fifth year Harry is busy with training, full moons and getting looked up to even more since Voldemort is back with a body now. Only two people don't believe he's back, one of them is their defense professor.
1. Chapter 1

8/21/19- 8/22/19

Harry and Tracey were in the kitchen looking at the Daily Prophet to see if anything had been spotted about Voldemort.

Like second year Harry showed Dumbledore the memories and Dumbledore did the same thing with the ministry. They were all scared now, scared this war was going to be worse. Harry, Tracey and Ron could already tell it was going to be worse because they were there during the first war. They had been telling Hermione about it so she could get ready.

It was Saturday and the day before the full moon so Harry didn't have any training to do this week.

"Seeing anything?" Harry asked.

"No, you?" Tracey asked.

"Nope." he said.

"What are you two doing?" Lily asked.

"Looking in the paper for any accidents happening." Tracey said.

"Why don't you two get some air? We have a meeting at Sirius' later."

"OK mum." they said together.

"Be careful, don't forget your wand and cloak!" she said while they left.

"Don't worry mum, we have them in our pocket." Harry said.

'Worry wart. We never forget our wand. Only the invisibility cloak sometimes.' Tracey said.

'She needs to relax. We're going into our fifth year which means we can take care of ourselves. Dumbledore's training me again so she should know that. With you good at transfiguration and me Defense Against the Dark Arts we can do it.' Harry said.

'Yeah, we work hard during school and you work hard in training and school. And will work harder the next three years because another war is going to start soon.' Tracey said.

'I hope it's shorter.' Harry said.

They took out their wands and invisibility cloak from their pocket and headed to the park. Lily smiled and nodded while they left.

"Be careful." she said when they were gone.

James stood next to her thinking the same thing.

They both knew Harry would be fine from being trained when he was young and all summer and school year when Voldemort was able to get a weak body. They also knew Harry would do anything to protect Tracey, his friends and his family but were still worried. He would protect Tracey the most.

Remus had said he was going to be a great alpha when it's time. Sirius, James and Lily agreed with him.

He also knew that when he takes it his pack will be bigger than before. Hermione and the Weasley's are going to be joining it. He was fine with them all joining it while he's the alpha right now.

Harry had been thinking about it when Voldemort was weak but back second year. He had asked him if they could join them now. He had said he was fine with it so Harry owled them yesterday.

They were waiting for an answer but had a feeling they would get an answer when they get to Grimauld Place.

When Harry and Tracey got to the park they were on the swings.

"I can't believe he's fully back already." Tracey said.

"I know, it's only been ten years since Halloween and two years since the Chamber incident." Harry said.

She nodded.

"Not to mention you have the 'furry little problem' now."

They sat there quietly.

Then she looked at him.

"I can here you screaming at night. About what happened last year."

"Sorry. I didn't know I was doing it." he said.

"You know you can always come to me, right?" she asked.

"I know. And you can always come to me." he said.

She smiled and nodded.

"I know. We're fifteen and are still inseparable. Like Fred and George. Maybe even more."

Harry opened his mouth when it started to get dark and colder. Something they were familiar with.

They looked at each other and stood up. Then looked around.

"You don't think it's a dementor do you?" Tracey asked.

"I don't know, we better get home quickly though." Harry said.

She nodded while Harry took out the invisibility cloak then felt rain so Harry put it back in his pocket and they started to run.

When they got to an alleyway they stopped and looked around again.

There was something in the alleyway apart from themselves, something that was drawing long, hoarse, rattling breaths. They felt a horrible jolt of dread as they stood trembling in the freezing air.

While they looked around Harry slipped on the wet ground.

"Ooff!" he said and his wand fell out of his hand.

"Oh shoot!"

While he was on the ground they felt a creeping chill behind them that could mean only one thing. There was more than one.

"Remember Trace, keep your mouth shut. I don't want you getting into any trouble so leave it to me."

She nodded, kept her mouth shut and looked around.

"Wand!" Harry muttered frantically, his hands flying over the ground like spiders.

"Where's - wand -come on -_lumos!_"

He said the spell automatically, desperate for light to help him in his search - and to his relief, light flared inches from his right hand - the wand tip had ignited.

Tracey looked at him in shock. 'Wandless magic? That's really powerful magic. Then again, Dumbledore has been training him again and on the end of seventh year.'

Harry snatched it up, scrambled to his feet and turned around. A towering, hooded figure was gliding smoothly towards them, hovering over the ground, no feet or face visible beneath its robes, sucking on the night as it came.

Stumbling backwards, Harry raised his wand.

_"Expecto patronum!"_

A silvery wisp of vapor shot from the tip of the wand and the Dementor slowed, but the spell hadn't worked properly; tripping over his own feet, Harry retreated further as the Dementor bore down upon him, panic fogging his brain -concentrate– A pair of grey, slimy, scabbed hands slid from inside the Dementor's robes, reaching for him.

"Come on Harry! You can make a strong patronus! A lot stronger than mine!" Tracey said.

Then she was on the ground with a dementor trying to get her. Like he said she kept her mouth shut.

_"Expecto patronum!"_

His voice sounded dim and distant. Another wisp of silver smoke, feebler than the last, drifted from the wand - he couldn't do it anymore, he couldn't work the spell.

There was laughter inside his own head, shrill, high-pitched laughter… he could smell the Dementors putrid, death-cold breath filling his own lungs, drowning him - think… something happy…

But there was no happiness in him… the Dementors icy fingers were closing on his throat – the high-pitched laughter was growing louder and louder, and a voice spoke inside his head:

_"Bow to death, Harry… it might even be painless… I would not know… I have never died…"_

He was never going to see Ron and Hermione again, Sirius, Remus, Tracey, his parents– And their faces burst clearly into his mind as he fought for breath.

_"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_

An enormous silver stag erupted from the tip of Harry's wand; its antlers caught the Dementor in the place where the heart should have been; it was thrown backwards, weightless as darkness, and as the stag charged, the Dementor swooped away, bat-like and defeated.

"THIS WAY!" Harry shouted at the stag.

Wheeling around, he sprinted down the alleyway, holding the lit wand aloft.

"TRACE? TRACEY!" he said.

He had run barely a dozen steps when he reached them: Tracey was trying to cover her face to give Harry more time.

A second Dementor was crouching low over her, gripping his wrists in its slimy hands, prizing them slowly almost lovingly apart, lowering its hooded head towards Tracey's face.

"GET IT!" Harry bellowed, and with a rushing, roaring sound, the silver stag he had conjured came galloping past him.

His eyes were turning gold from anger at the dementors trying to hurt her.

The Dementors eyeless face was barely an inch from Tracey's when the silver antlers caught it; the thing was thrown up into the air and, like its fellow, it soared away and was absorbed into the darkness; the stag cantered to the end of the alleyway and dissolved into silver mist.

Harry headed to over to her and bent down to see whether she was OK.

"You alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, you?" she asked while she sat up.

"Yeah. Where did they come from?" he asked.

"I don't know, but we better get home before mum and dad have a heart attack and have everybody look for us." she said.

Harry nodded and helped her up.

"You're gonna be a great alpha when we grow up you know that?" she said.

"Thanks, I've been watching uncle Moony and he's been telling me about what an alpha does." he said smiling.

Then they headed home. Harry had calmed down and his eyes were back to green.


	2. Chapter 2

When they got home they saw their parents and uncles looking worried sick.

"Mum? Dad?" Harry said.

Then they looked up and stood up.

"HARRY! TRACEY!" Lily said and ran over to them.

Then she wrapped her arms around the two of them.

"You almost gave me a heart attack you two!" Sirius said.

"Me too!" Remus said.

"And me!" James said.

'Told you.' Tracey said.

Harry tried not to laugh.

"Sorry, we were just sitting on the swing set talking when it started to get dark and cold-"

Then Tracey was interrupted by an owl. They looked at it and it fell on the ground. Then a letter popped up open.

_Dear Mr. Potter,_

_ The ministry has received intelligence that at 6:23 this evening you preformed the patronus charm outside of school. With clear violation of underage sorcery unless in training with Dumbledore you are here by expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hoping you are well,_

_ Mafalda Hopkirk_

They stood there in shock.

"Harry, why?" Lily started.

"While we were at the park it started to get cold and freezing so we started to run and when it started to rain we stopped in an alleyway to stay dry. Harry tripped and his wand fell out of his hand and some how called out Lumos and it lit up. We weren't surprised since Dumbledore is training him again but we didn't have the time to be surprised for that long because right after he had it in his hand two dementors came."

While she explained what happened the adults were surprised and confused about what happened.

"Well, we'll talk about this later, right now we need to head to Sirius' for the meeting we told you about earlier." James said.

They nodded and then they headed to the fireplace and used the flew networks to get to Grimauld Place.

When they got there they said hello to everyone that was already there and had the kids go upstairs.

When they got upstairs they were covered by Hermione and almost on the ground.

"Oh Moony! Paddy!" she said. "We've been talking about the dementors we heard. It's just out rages! I've looked it up the ministry can't expel you. It's completely unfair! And they know Dumbledore's training you because he's back!"

"Let the two breath Speedy. And me, Hermione and the rest of my family would love to join Remus' pack." Ron said.

When they sat down Harry and Tracey told them about the dementor accident.

While they did that Lily, James, Sirius and Remus talked to Dumbledore before the meeting,

"Harry is doing a very good job everyday he's with me. He's actually already at fifth year and I think by the end of the current year he'll be on sixth year. He worked hard all summer and all week during training.

James and Lily smiled.

"I don't know how he can do it." James said.

"I don't know either James. I wouldn't be able to do it." Lily said.

"He's going to be a great alpha when he's ready to take my place for the pack. I'm so proud of my cub." Remus said.

"Same here Remus. I think it might be mostly for Prongslet that he's using all his strength now. He swore to protect her at school, especially when Voldemort was strong enough to get a bit of a body. He told me he'd rather die then let his sister get hurt." Sirius said.

That made James and Lily proud of him. James would do the same thing for his family and understood that since he and Lily were adults they could take care of themselves while Harry and Tracey were going to their fifth year.

When the meeting was done the Professors left back to school. While they were having dinner they were talking about what happened and what the ministry has been doing.

"This is very, very peculiar. It seems your hearing in the Ministry is to be before the entire Wizengamot." Arthur said.

"I don't understand. What has the Ministry of Magic got against me?" Harry asked.

"Fudge is to scared to do anything so Madam Bones is training us again like our first time. She'd be a much better minister in our opinion." Sirius said.

"Exactly, Fudge isn't in his right mind. It's been twisted and warped by fear. Now, fear makes people do terrible things, Harry, Tracey. You remember the last time Voldemort gained power... he almost destroyed everything we hold most dear. Now he's fully returned, and we think Voldemort wants to build up his army again. You also remember nine years ago, he had huge numbers at his command. And not just witches and wizards, but all manner of dark creatures. He's been recruiting heavily, and we've been attempting to do the same. But gathering followers isn't the only thing he's interested in." Remus said.

"We believe... Voldemort may be after something." Sirius started.

"Sirius." Moody said.

"Something he didn't have last time."

"You mean like a weapon?" Harry asked.

"No. That's enough. He's just a boy. You say more and you might as well induct him into the Order." Molly said.

"Good. I want to join. If Voldemort's raising an army, then I want to fight. And besides, I know every spell from first year to seventh year and I'm learning them silently now and will be doing advanced and wandless magic next." Harry said.

"Me too, well the part of joining the Order not trained." Tracey said.

Sirius clapped his hands and winked.

Harry and Tracey smiled.

"Alright, why don't you two go head off to bed. Harry Sirius' room. Tracey one of the guest rooms as usual." Lily said.

So they said good night to everyone and headed to bed.

While he slept Harry kept hearing the same thing.

Harry.

You are hereby expelled. Before the entire Wizengamot.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day the Missioners and the Marauders were in the Grimauld Place basement for the full moon. Harry and Remus had taken their wolfsbane but they knew Harry wasn't going to be soft this month from his trial tomorrow.

A few minutes later Harry and Remus were Moony and Moony jr., Tracey was Paddy, Ron was Howler, Hermione was Speedy, James was Prongs and Sirius was Padfoot.

They were right about Moony jr. he had a lot of trouble as if he didn't have his wolfsbane. That worried them all. Prongs and Padfoot had to help Paddy, Howler and Speedy this time.

Moony jr. bit all six of them deep. Even though he's protective he got Paddy the worst.

'Come on Prongs jr. try and control yourself.' Prongs thought.

Finally they were done and Harry was out cold from exhaustion.

"Alright, let's get him to Sirius' room as usual and have Lily fix you four up." James said.

"Harry is going to feel awful if he finds out about what he did to them so I really hope Lily can heal them completely." Sirius said.

Then they headed upstairs.

When they got there they saw Lily and to their relief Madam Pomfrey waiting.

The two of them were shocked at what they looked like.

"Harry is stressed out Lily, his wolfsbane was pretty much useless. We could tell he was trying to control himself but still had trouble." Remus said.

"Alright, I'll take care of him and Tracey Poppy can take care of Ron and Hermione. Then we'll take care of you three." she said.

"Alright." James said.

So they got to work and weren't that surprised Harry had trouble controlling himself.

Lily shook her head.

"These two are going to have a few nasty scars. I'll do what I can to hide them. Unless, they're willing to use glamour on them every full moon. I know Harry would be able to do it but I don't know about Tracey." Lily said.

"The other two are the same thing." Madam Pomfrey said.

"I don't want anyone to get suspicious so I'll do it." Tracey said half asleep.

"Me too." Ron said.

"I'll do it." Hermione said.

The three young animagi were exhausted and half asleep.

"Alright, but only during the day, school day and when you're with guests aside from us. At night and home take it off and let them breathe and get more strength back." Lily said.

They nodded then went to get some sleep. James brought Harry to his room while Lily and Madam Pomfrey fixed Sirius and Remus up.

After he put Harry down he went to get healed to.

A week later Lily, James and Tracey took Harry to his

hearing. Tracey and Harry were under glamour as told.

When they got to the phone room James took out some money and put it in.

"Good thing I lived in the Muggle world and remember everything." Lily said.

Harry and Tracey chuckled a little.

When they got there they started to walk to the court room.

"Daily Prophet, ladies and gentlemen. Anybody for Daily Prophet?" the paper man said.

"Morning, James, Lily." Bob said.

"Morning, Bob." James said.

Harry and Tracey looked up and saw the paper above them. Then looked in front of them and saw Kingsley.

Then he whispered something to James and Lily.

"Merlin's beard. Thank you, Kingsley. They've changed the time of your hearing." James said.

"When is it?" Harry asked.

"In five minutes apparently." Lily said.

"Department of Mysteries." the elevator called out.

While they walked to the court room they saw Fudge talking to Lucius.

"And I'm confident, minister, that you will do the right thing." Lucius said.

"Yes, but we must be..." Fudge started until he saw them.

Then James moved Harry along.

"Remember, during the hearing, speak only when you're spoken to. Keep calm. You've done nothing wrong." James said.

Then James, Lily and Tracey sat down on the side and watched Harry.

James is a member of the Wizengamot but he wanted to be with Harry for this one.

Then there was a bang on the corner.

"Disciplinary hearing of the 12th of August... into offenses committed by Harry James Potter... resident at Godric Hollow, London. Interrogators: Cornelius Oswald Fudge, Minister of Mag..." Fudge started but was interrupted.

"Witness for the defense. Albus Percival Wulfric... Brian Dumbledore." Dumbledore said ending slowly.

"You got our message that the time and place of the hearing... had been changed, did you?" Fudge asked.

Harry and Tracey fought off the want to laugh.

'Yeah right!' Harry said.

'He's Chief Warlock after all.' Tracey said.

"I must have missed it. But by a happy mistake, I arrived at the Ministry three hours early. The charges?" Dumbledore asked.

"The charges against the accused are as follows: "That he did knowingly... and in full awareness of the illegality of his actions... produce a Patronus Charm. Do you deny producing said Patronus?" he said.

"No, but..." Harry said.

"And you were aware that you were forbidden to use magic outside school... while under the age of 17 even though Dumbledore is training you?" Fudge asked.

Dumbledore had told the ministry that he was going to train him again so they could try and not bother him.

"Yes, I was, but..." Harry started.

"Witches and wizards of the Wizengamot..." Fudge started but was cut off by Harry.

"I was only doing it because of the Dementors."

"Dementors? In outside of Azkaban?" Madam Bones said.

"That's quite clever. Highly convenient."

"I'm not lying. There were two of them, and if I hadn't..." Harry said his eyes turning gold.

Tracey noticed.

'Calm down! I can see your eyes are turning gold.' she said.

'Thanks.' he said then took a deep silent breath and calmed down.

"Enough. I'm sorry to interrupt what I'm sure would have been a very well-rehearsed story... but since you can produce no witnesses of the event..."

"Pardon me, minister, but as it happens, we can." Dumbledore said.

"What? Who?" he asked.

"Tracey Potter." he said.

Everyone looked at her and she stood up and switched places with Harry.

"Please describe the attack. What did they look like?" Madam Bones asked.

"They were big and cloaked like any other one. Then everything went cold... as though all the happiness had gone from the world. Like any other time." Tracey said.

"Now, look here. Dementors don't just wander around without the ministry permission. The odds are astronomical."

"I don't think anyone would believe... the Dementors were there by coincidence, minister." Dumbledore said.

Then someone cleared their thought and got everyone's attention.

"I'm sure I must have misunderstood you, professor. Dementors are, after all, under the control of the Ministry of Magic. And it's so silly of me, but it sounded for a moment as though... you were suggesting that the Ministry had ordered the attack on those two." Madam Umbridge said.

"That would be disturbing indeed, Madam Undersecretary... which is why I'm sure the Ministry will be mounting a full-scale inquiry... into why the two Dementors were so very far from Azkaban... and why they mounted an attack without authorization. Of course, there is someone... who might be behind the attack." Dumbledore started and walked over to Fudge closer. "Cornelius, I implore you to see reason. We know the Dark Lord has returned."

Fudge sat there quietly thinking about what he said.

Dumbledore went back and started walking around again.

"In the matter of Harry Potter... the law clearly states... that magic may be used before outside school from students under the age of 17-threatening situations."

"Laws can be changed if necessary, Dumbledore." Fudge said.

"Clearly. Has it become practice to hold a full criminal trial... to deal with a simple matter of underage magic?"

"Those in favor of conviction?" Madam Bones said.

A few people raised their hand.

"Those in favor of clearing the accused of all charges?" she continued and raised her hand as did many other people.

Fudge looked back and counted.

"Cleared of all charges." he said.

"Professor." Harry said smiling.

But while he walked out of the room he ignored him.

The only time he's truly been paying attention to him was when he was training him.

Harry frowned but went back to his family.


	4. Chapter 4

Two weeks later they were on to platform 9 3/4. Harry, Tracey, James, Lily, Remus, Sirius, Moody and Tonks were in muggle clothes.

When they got to the platform Harry and Tracey said goodbye to everyone and then headed to the train. While they did that Harry saw a man with a copy of Voldemort's face.

While they were on their way to school Harry sat there quietly while the other three talked to each other. They practiced the glamour spell for the rest of the summer and got it last week.

While he did that he started to turn his neck on the other side. Then looked in front of himself.

Before they knew it they were having dinner. Harry sat next to Tracey as usual on his left and Hermione on his right. Ron was across from them.

"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore.

"First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too." (Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione exchanged smirks.)

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, to remind you-"

Then he was cut off by someone.

"Hem, hem," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome."

Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish and, again.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"

"She was at my hearing, she works for fudge and is one of the people that don't believe me." Harry said.

"Thankfully only two people don't believe you. So her and we don't know who yet." Tracey said.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

"Less likely." said Fred and George together.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."

"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation…"

"… because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgment. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

When she sat down Dumbledore started clapping.

"Thank you Professor."

"What's it mean?" Tracey asked.

"It means she's interfering with Hogwarts. And is one of the people that doesn't believe that he's back even after watching the memory." Hermione said.

After dinner when they got to the common room everything he went quiet. When they saw some of their friends they nodded.

"Dean, Seamus. Good holiday?" Harry asked.

"All right, just a little nervous about you-know-who being back. And better than Seamus'." Dean said.

"Me mum didn't want me to come back this year." Seamus said.

"Why not?" Tracey asked.

"Because she doesn't believe you-know-who's back."

"What, she doesn't think that even though we have a fresh batch of strong wizards and witches we can't end this war?" Harry asked.

"Pretty much, I think we can do it though." Seamus said.

"I guess you should have her go see the memory in Dumbledore's office again. Harry didn't want to keep it so Dumbledore has it." Tracey said.

"I tried but she won't listen." Seamus said.

"I'll have a go at anyone that won't believe me. I'm sure ninety nine percent of them believe me that he's fully back." he said.

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

"He's mad that my mum won't believe him and she won't look at the memories."

"Well we do. Has anyone else got a problem with Harry?" Ron asked.

No one said anything so Harry said good night to Tracey and Hermione then they split up.

"You all right?" Ron asked.

"Fine."

"Seamus' mum was bang out of order, mate. But she'll come through, you'll see."

"I said, I'm fine, Ron!" he said his eyes turning gold.

"Right. I'll just leave you to your thoughts, then."

While he was asleep he started to have a reminder of last year.

It was the night of the third task. When he saw Cedric hit by the green light he woke up. Then he whipped his face and calmed down. Then he fell back to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Tonks were in muggle clothes.

When they got to the platform Harry and Tracey said goodbye to everyone and then headed to the train. While they did that Harry saw a man with a copy of Voldemort's face.

While they were on their way to school Harry sat there quietly while the other three talked to each other. They practiced the glamour spell for the rest of the summer and got it last week.

While he did that he started to turn his neck on the other side. Then looked in front of himself.

Before they knew it they were having dinner. Harry sat next to Tracey as usual on his left and Hermione on his right. Ron was across from them.

"Well, now that we are all digesting another magnificent feast, I beg a few moments of your attention for the usual start-of-term notices," said Dumbledore.

"First-years ought to know that the Forest in the grounds is out-of-bounds to students - and a few of our older students ought to know by now, too." (Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione exchanged smirks.)

"We have had two changes in staffing this year. We are very pleased to welcome back Professor Grubby-Plank, who will be taking Care of Magical Creatures lessons; we are also delighted to introduce Professor Umbridge, our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me, to remind you-"

Then he was cut off by someone.

"Hem, hem," and it became clear that she had got to her feet and was intending to make a speech.

"Thank you, Headmaster," Professor Umbridge simpered, "for those kind words of welcome."

Her voice was high-pitched, breathy and little-girlish and, again.

"Well, it is lovely to be back at Hogwarts, I must say!" She smiled, revealing very pointed teeth. "And to see such happy little faces looking up at me!"

"She was at my hearing, she works for fudge and is one of the people that don't believe me." Harry said.

"Thankfully only two people don't believe you. So her and we don't know who yet." Tracey said.

"I am very much looking forward to getting to know you all and I'm sure we'll be very good friends!"

"Less likely." said Fred and George together.

"The Ministry of Magic has always considered the education of young witches and wizards to be of vital importance. The rare gifts with which you were born may come to nothing if not nurtured and honed by careful instruction. The ancient skills unique to the wizarding community must be passed down the generations lest we lose them forever. The treasure trove of magical knowledge amassed by our ancestors must be guarded, replenished and polished by those who have been called to the noble profession of teaching."

"Every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts has brought something new to the weighty task of governing this historic school, and that is as it should be, for without progress there will be stagnation and decay. There again, progress for progress's sake must be discouraged, for our tried and tested traditions often require no tinkering. A balance, then, between old and new, between permanence and change, between tradition and innovation…"

"… because some changes will be for the better, while others will come, in the fullness of time, to be recognized as errors of judgment. Meanwhile, some old habits will be retained, and rightly so, whereas others, outmoded and outworn, must be abandoned. Let us move forward, then, into a new era of openness, effectiveness and accountability, intent on preserving what ought to be preserved, perfecting what needs to be perfected, and pruning wherever we find practices that ought to be prohibited."

When she sat down Dumbledore started clapping.

"Thank you Professor."

"What's it mean?" Tracey asked.

"It means she's interfering with Hogwarts. And is one of the people that doesn't believe that he's back even after watching the memory." Hermione said.

After dinner when they got to the common room everything he went quiet. When they saw some of their friends they nodded.

"Dean, Seamus. Good holiday?" Harry asked.

"All right, just a little nervous about you-know-who being back. And better than Seamus'." Dean said.

"Me mum didn't want me to come back this year." Seamus said.

"Why not?" Tracey asked.

"Because she doesn't believe you-know-who's back."

"What, she doesn't think that even though we have a fresh batch of strong wizards and witches we can't end this war?" Harry asked.

"Pretty much, I think we can do it though." Seamus said.

"I guess you should have her go see the memory in Dumbledore's office again. Harry didn't want to keep it so Dumbledore has it." Tracey said.

"I tried but she won't listen." Seamus said.

"I'll have a go at anyone that won't believe me. I'm sure ninety nine percent of them believe me that he's fully back." he said.

"What's going on?" Ron asked.

"He's mad that my mum won't believe him and she won't look at the memories."

"Well we do. Has anyone else got a problem with Harry?" Ron asked.

No one said anything so Harry said good night to Tracey and Hermione then they split up.

"You all right?" Ron asked.

"Fine."

"Seamus' mum was bang out of order, mate. But she'll come through, you'll see."

"I said, I'm fine, Ron!" he said his eyes turning gold.

"Right. I'll just leave you to your thoughts, then."

While he was asleep he started to have a reminder of last year.

It was the night of the third task. When he saw Cedric hit by the green light he woke up. Then he whipped his face and calmed down. Then he fell back to sleep.


	6. Chapter 6

The next day while they were in Defense Against the Dark Arts Harry was sitting next to Ron and watching a paper bird fly around.

When it was back at her it was stopped and back there.

"Good morning children." Umbridge said.

While she walked to the top she put in three words.

"Ordinary Wizarding Level

examination. OWL." she said taping the words.

"More community known as owls. Study hard and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so and you're future may be, sever."

**'Unless you're a Potter, Black or Malfoy that is.'** Tracey said.

**'Yeah.'** Harry said.

Then she had her wand carry a book to everyone.

While they looked at their book Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes miss?"

"Granger ma'am. There's nothing written up there about using defensive spells."

"Using spells? Haha! Well I don't see what you would need to learn spells. You will be learning using a secure risk free."

"We're not gonna use magic?" Ron said.

"Students raise their hands when they speak in my class."

"And how's theory going to help when there's something out there? It won't be risk free." Harry asked.

"There is nothing out there dear. Who would want to attack children?"

"Oh I don't know. Maybe, Lord Voldemort?"

"Now let me make this quite plain. You have heard that a certain dark wizard is append us. This is a lie."

"It's not a lie I saw him, I fought him! And I showed you all what happened second year and last year!"

His eyes were starting to turn gold. Ron saw that so he elbowed him to calm down. But he couldn't do it this time.

Ron looked at Hermione and Tracey worried that he might be noticed.

"Detention Mr. Potter!"

"Oh so according to you Cedric Diggory got killed?"

"Cedric Diggory's death was a tragic accident."

"It was murder you should no that!"

"Enough! See you later Potter, my office."

He growled quietly then took a deep silent breath and his eyes turned green again.

A few hours later Harry was on his way to his detention. When he asked he knocked on the door.

"Come in."

So he opened the door and then shut it.

"Good evening Mr. Potter. Sit." she said pointing to a desk.

So he sat down and she grabbed her quill.

"You're going to be writing some lines for me."

Then he took out his quilt but was interrupted.

"No not with your quill. You're going to use a special one of mine."

She handed him the quill and he picked it up.

"You haven't given me any ink." he said.

"Oh you don't need any ink. Now I want you write, 'I must not tell lies.'"

"How many times?"

"Oh, let's just say when the ink begins to sink in."

So he started to write it down and then started to feel pain on his hand. After the first line he looked at his hand. Then looked up.

"Yes?" she said.

"Nothing." he said.

"That's right. Because you know, deep down, you deserve to be punished."

He just looked at her for a few seconds using legilimancy on her and found out what she was doing then continued to write.


	7. Chapter 7

After his detention he headed back to the common room.

When he got there he sat down and studied for a bit.

While he did that he listened to Fred and George.

"Skiving Snackboxes." George said to someone next to him.

"Sweets that make you ill." Fred said.

"Get out of class whenever you like. Obtain hours of pleasure

from unprofitable boredom." George said.

Then looked at the boy next to him.

"Care for another?"

He nodded his now big chin.

"I'm not asking you to write all of it for me. I've been busy studying for these stupid OWL exams." Ron said.

"I'll do the introduction. That's all." Hermione said.

"Speedy, you're honestly the most wonderful person I've ever met. And if I'm ever rude to you again..."

"I'll know you've gone back to normal."

When they sat down Tracey looked at Harry's hand.

"What's wrong with your hand?"

"Nothing." he said covering his left hand.

"The other hand."

She took it and gasped.

"Harry! You have to go to Dumbledore. Or at least mum and dad."

"No, Dumbledore's got enough on his mind right now. I don't want to give Umbridge the satisfaction." he said.

"Bloody hell, Moony. The woman's torturing you. If the parents knew about this..." Ron started.

"If mum and dad find out dad's going to lose it. Mum's going to lose it worse. Everyone knows what kind of temper she has. They call it 'the Evans glare'. he said.

"I think your temper is worse then her's actually. Which is saying something!" Tracey said.

"Moony you have to report this. It's perfectly simple-" Hermione started.

"No it's not. Speedy, whatever this is it's not simple."

He stood up and grabbed his book.

"You don't understand."

"Then help us to." she said.

Tracey thought of something.

"You used legilimancy on her to find out what she wanted to do. Didn't you?" she said.

He froze then nodded.

"I just wanted to make sure she was using it." he said then left.

_Dear mum and dad,_

_ We hope you're doing all right. It's starting to get colder here. Winter is definitely on the way. Our year isn't going perfect but fair. The Defense Professor isn't that good_. She makes us use books instead of teaching us spells and doesn't believe that Voldemort is completely back. She works for the ministry and doesn't treat Harry that well. _We're looking forward to seeing you again, tell uncle Moony and uncle Padfoot we said hello,_

Tracey and _Harry_

After that they headed to Hedwig and sent their letter.

"Let's hope they don't find out what she's doing." Harry said. "I can't believe I made a deal with you on this."

"At least I didn't make you put the entire thing out." she said.

Then Harry went to take a walk while Tracey went to do her homework.

When he got to the forest he saw Luna standing next to an animal with no shoes.

"Hello Harry Potter." she said.

"Your feet, aren't they cold?" he asked.

"A bit. Unfortunately all my shoes have mysteriously disappeared. I suspect it's the Nargles are behind it." she said.

"What are they?" he asked.

"They're called Thestrals. They're quite gentle, really, but people avoid them because they're a bit..."

"Different. But why can't the other's see them?"

"They can only be seen by people who have seen death."

"So you've known someone who's died, then?"

"My mum. She was quite an extraordinary witch, but she did like to... and one day, one of her spells went badly wrong. I was nine."

"I'm sorry."

"Yes, it was rather horrible. I do feel sad about it sometimes. But I've got my dad."


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning Tracey, Ron and Hermione were having breakfast and Ron was eating some sausage while he read.

Tracey looked at him in disgust.

"Do you ever stop eating?" Hermione asked.

"What? I'm hungry." he said.

The two of them shook their head and Hermione saw Harry.

"Harry."

"Can I join you?" he asked.

They nodded and he sat next to Tracey.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"Just tired from all this training I've been doing." he said.

She took his hand but he shook his head.

"I'm gonna take a nap after lunch, I've got a free period then."

She nodded and started eating again.

Everyone that saw them shook their head.

'Those two are going to be inseparable for the rest of their life.'

After breakfast they all heard McGonagall talking to someone.

"Pardon me, professor, but what exactly are you insinuating?" Umbridge said.

"I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students... you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices." McGonagall said.

"So silly of me, but it sounds... as if you're questioning my authority in my own classroom... Minerva." Umbridge said taking a step.

"Not at all, Dolores, merely your medieval methods." she said stepping up next to her.

"I am sorry, dear. But to question my practices is to question the Ministry... and by extension, the minister himself. I am a tolerant woman... but the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty."

"Disloyalty?" McGonagall said taking a step back.

"Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared. Cornelius will want to take immediate action."

Sure enough there were people that work for a newspaper asking Umbridge questions.

"What happened to Dumbledore?"

Fudge said things about her in the paper also. About him not being happy about what she's been saying and taking after Hogwarts.

She was walking around the school asking teachers questions.

She was in divination right now.

"Just one question dear. You've been in this post how long?" Umbridge asked.

Another time it was potions.

"You applied to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts is that correct?"

"Yes." Snape said.

"But you were unsuccessful?"

"Obviously." he said.

When she left Ron snickered. Then Snape smacked the back of his head with a book.

That got Harry and Tracey having trouble not to laugh.

Back in divination,

"Could you please, predict something for me?"

"I'm sorry?" Trelawney asked in shock.

She was listening to music with Professor Flitwick.

"Move those mouths!" he said.

Then a pink measuring tape came and measured him.

"One, teensy little prophecy?"

She stood there quietly for a few seconds.

"Pity." she said and started writing something.

"No no wait I think I do see something, I see something dark. You, are in grave danger." Trelawney said.

"Lovely."

Later that day people were going outside.

"Cho! Cho what's going on?" Harry asked her.

"It's Professor Trelawney." Cho said.

Mr. Filch put down another bag of her things.

Then Umbridge came.

"Sixteen years I've lived and worked here. Hogwarts is my home. You can't do this."

When they heard that Harry and Tracey thought about something.

'That's when mum was pregnant with us and had us go into hiding.'

They looked at each other wondering.

Then Umbridge took out some paper.

"Actually I can."

A few seconds later McGonagall was walking over to her. Then put her arms around her.

"Something you'd like to say dear?" Umbridge asked smiling.

"Oh there are several things I would like to say. Shh, shh." McGonagall said.

A few seconds later the door opened and Dumbledore came.

"Professor McGonagall, may I ask you to bring Sybill back inside?" he said.

"Oh thank you." Trelawney said smiling.

"Dumbledore, may I remind you that under the terms... .of Educational Decree Number You have the right to dismiss my teachers." Umbridge said.

"You do not, however, have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the headmaster." he said.

"For now." she said.

Then he turned around and Harry called out his name.

"Professor? Professor Dumbledore! Professor!"

He got no answer.

Later that night Harry, Ron, Tracey and Hermione were in the common room. Hermione was pacing.

"That foul, evil, old gargoyle. We're not learning how to defend ourselves. We're not learning how to pass our OWLs. She's taking over the entire school!" Hermione said.

"Security has been and will remain the Ministry's top priority. Furthermore, we have convincing evidence... that these disappearances are the work... of Death Eaters." Fudge said.

"Harry, Tracey." Lily said.

"Mum?" Harry and Tracey said together.

"What are you doing here?" Tracey asked.

"Answering your letter. You said you were worried about Umbridge. What's she doing? Training you to kill half-breeds?" Lily asked.

"She's not letting us use magic at all." Harry said.

"Well, I'm not surprised. The latest intelligence is that she doesn't want you trained in combat. She's been ignoring that Fudge believes you. They knew Voldemort was strong three years ago." she said.

"Combat? What does he think, we're forming some sort of wizard army?" Ron asked.

"That's exactly what she thinks. That Dumbledore is assembling his own forces to take on the Ministry. She's becoming more paranoid by the minute, Severus has been owling me telling us what she's been doing. The others wouldn't want me telling you this, Harry, Tracey... but things aren't going at all well with the Order. These disappearances are just how it started before. Voldemort is on the move."

"Well, what can we do?" Tracey asked.

"Someone's coming. I'm sorry I can't be of more help. But for now, at least, it looks like you're on your own." Lily said.

Then Hermione walked up to the window.

"We've got to learn to defend ourselves. And if Umbridge won't tell us how we're going to need someone that can." she said then looked at Harry.

The next day they were having dinner and Harry was tired and pale as usual. It was the full moon tonight and he was worried about his friends and sister but knew they'd be fine.

After dinner the four of them were on their way to the Shrieking Shack right now under the invisibility cloak.

When they got there they took off the glamour and waited for it to start. As usual Harry had taken his wolfsbane.

A few minutes later he started to transform.

As usual Tracey, Ron and Hermione transformed into Paddy, Howler and Speedy.

Moony was easier this month.

Throughout the night Paddy, Howler and Speedy kept Moony busy and he had more control of himself.

A few hours later they were done. Tracey was transferring some of her energy as usual while Ron checked on him.

"You alright Moony?" he asked.

"Yeah, let's get to the hospital wing again." he said.

So as usual they headed to the hospital wing.

When they got there Lily and James was there. They came to check on them and have Lily help Madam Pomfrey.

"Alright, let's see what we have this time." Lily said.

So as usual Lily took care of Harry and Tracey while Madam Pomfrey took care of Ron and Hermione.

"Looks like he's pretty calm this month." Madam Pomfrey said.

"Yes, no scars this month and they're doing good with the glamour now." Lily said.

"We take it off when we get to the Shrieking Shack and when we go to bed." Hermione said.

"Good." Lily said.

When they were done Ron, Hermione and Tracey headed to the dormitory.

A few days later they were on their way to Hogsheads.

"This is mad! Why would they want to be taught by me?" Harry said.

"You've been trained all seven years when we were six. He's training you silent, advanced and wandless magic." Tracey said.

He stayed silent for a few minutes then sighed.

"Fine, this war will start soon. Who's supposed to be meeting us, then?"

"Just a couple of people." Hermione said.

"Lovely spot." Ron said.

"Thought it would be safer off the beaten track." she said.

"Matey, come back here." someone said.

A few minutes later they were all inside and waiting to hear something. So Hermione stood up and started.

"Hi. So you all know why we're here. We need a teacher. A proper teacher. One who's had experience defending themselves against the Dark Arts." Hermione said.

"Why?" Zabini asked.

"Why? Because You-Know-Who's back, you tosspot." Ron said.

"Oh, right. But still, where's the proof? If Potter could tell us more about how Diggory got killed..." Zabini said.

"He's not gonna talk about Cedric, so if that's why you're here, clear out now." Tracey said.

"Come on, Hermione. They just want to know what happened last year." Harry said.

"Is it true you can produce a Patronus Charm?" Luna asked.

"Yes. I've seen it. I can make one to but not as strong." Tracey said.

"Blimey, Harry, Tracey. I didn't know you could do that." Dean said.

"And he killed a basilisk, with

the sword in Dumbledore's office." Neville said.

"It's true." Ginny said.

"Third year, he fought off about a hundred Dementors at once." Ron said.

"Last year, he really did fight off You-Know-Who in the flesh." Hermione said.

"Look, it all sounds great when you say it like that... but the truth is, most of that was just luck. I didn't know what I was doing half the time. I nearly always had help." Harry said and stood up.

"He's just being modest." Tracey said.

"No, Trace, I'm not. Facing this stuff in real life is not like school. In school, if you make a mistake, you can just try again tomorrow. But out there... when you're a second away from being murdered... or watching a friend die right before your eyes... You don't know what that's like." he said.

"You're right, Harry, we don't.

That's why we need your help. Because if we're going to have any chance at beating... Voldemort..." Hermione said.

"He's really back?" someone that wasn't completely believing him asked.

He nodded.

Tracey took a deep breath.

"Dumbledore's been training him since the summer before our fourth to get him ready for when Voldemort came back. He wasn't sure if he was truly gone. When he came back second year Dumbledore started training him again. Harry finished first to seventh year when we were six so now he's being trained silent, advanced and wandless magic."

They all stood there and looked at him while he nodded.

"I'm at the beginning of sixth year. I swore to use every bit of magic with me when he returned. That's why I'm top of our year now."

Then everyone started to sign the paper.

On their way back to school they talked about where to go.

"Next is where to find somewhere where Umbridge won't find out." Harry said.

"The Shrieking Shack?" Ginny asked.

"That's too small." Harry said.

**'And it might expose my problem.'** he said to Tracey.

**'Yeah.'** she said.

"Forbidden Forest?" Hermione asked.

"Oh blimey no." Ron said.

"The Chamber of Secrets?" Tracey said.

"Aside from Voldemort I'm the only one that can open it." Harry said.

**'And after Ginny's history with it her first year. Not a good idea.'** Harry said.

**'Oh, right.'** Tracey said.

"Right, forgot about that." she said.

"Harry, what happens if Umbridge does find out?" Ginny asked.

"Who cares? I mean, it's sort of exciting isn't it? Breaking the rules." Hermione said.

The three of them looked at her in shock.

"Who are you and what have you done to Hermione Granger?" Ron asked.

**'She finally realized that we get into a lot of trouble at school!'** Tracey said.

**'I'm so proud!'** Harry said.

That got the two of them to start laughing.

"What are you laughing at?" Ron asked.

"Haha! Sh-she finally realized what we've done over the years. And where we got the Missioners." Tracey said still laughing.

"I-it took you five years to get it! Haha!" Harry said.

"Oh come off it! And besides, one thing came out positive today." she said.

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"Cho couldn't keep her eyes of you."

While they headed to school they said things they knew and what to work on.


	9. Chapter 9

The next day people were watching Mr. Filch put up another rule.

_'All students are here by disband.'_

Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione were in the common room thinking about a way to work on what and when.

"Harry, Tracey, Ron, Hermione!"

"Neville?" Harry said.

"I think I found somewhere to go to our lessons." he said.

They all looked at each other and then followed him.

When they got there they walked in and looked around.

"You've done it Neville!" Hermione said. "You found the Room of Requirements."

"The Come and Go room." Tracey said.

"We've heard about it from our dad and uncles. They just never found it which is why it's not on the map." Harry said.

They looked at each other.

**'Let's do it. We haven't done it all year.'** Harry said.

"We're-" Harry started.

"Definitely-" Tracey continued.

"Telling-" Harry said.

"Dad,-" Tracey said.

"Uncle-" Harry said next.

"Moony-" Tracey said after.

"And-" Harry said.

"Uncle-" Tracey said.

"Padfoot!" they finished together.

Ron and Hermione moaned.

"Do you guys _have_ to do that in school? I live with the twins! I don't need a second!" Ron said.

Then they smirked.

"We have to sometimes!" they said smiling.

"Anyway, it's brilliant. It's like Hogwarts is helping us fight back." Harry said.

A few days later after telling everyone they were in the Room of Requirements.

Harry was teaching them about the stunning spell.

"Stunning is one of the most useful spell. So um, come on Nigel, give me your best shot."

_"Stupefy!"_ he said.

He fell while Harry missed it.

"Good, not bad at all. Just focus a little more and you might get someone." Harry said.

**'If it's possible to beat you in a dual that is.'** Tracey said.

Then he glared at her and people close shivered. Especially Tracey, Ron and Hermione.

**'I'm not that good Trace, everyone knows that.'** Harry said.

**'Harry! You dueled and beat Voldemort at fourteen last year!'** Tracey said.

**'That was from having the same core.'** he said.

**'Alright, alright! We'll talk about it later. We have things to learn from best Defense Against the Dark Arts person in our year.'** she said.

Everyone looked at them confused except for the Weasley twins.

They turned a little red.

"Umm, sorry. We use the connection a lot." Tracey said.

"Anyway, Ron and Hermione let's see it." he said.

Tracey smirked when she watched them.

Ron was about to say Stupefy but was cut off by Hermione.

_"Stupefy!"_ she said.

"Ah!" Ron said while he fell.

The girls smiled at Hermione while Ron walked over to the boys and Tracey.

"I let her do that." he said.

**_'Sure_ he did.'** Tracey said.

Harry fought as hard as he could not to laugh.

A few hours later they were leaving.


	10. Chapter 10

"Now, focus on a fixed point and try again. Luna." Harry said while he walked around.

_"Expelliarmus!" _

"Very good. Keep your concentration." Harry said. "Great."

"A little higher." Harry said while he pulled Cho's wand a little."m

Then she looked at him and made Nigel fall.

"Whoa! I'm okay. I'm okay." he said when he stood up.

_"Stupefy!"_ someone said.

_"Stupefy!"_

_Those wishing to join the Inquisitorial Squad for extra credit... may sign up in the high inquisitor's office. _

_"Diminuendo!"_

"Working hard is important, but there's something that matters even more: Believing in yourself." Harry said.

_"Expelliarmus!" _

"_Levicorpus__!_ Got it."

"Think of it this way. Every great wizard in history has started out... as nothing more than what we are now: students. If they can do it, why not us?" he continued.

_"Stupefy!"_ someone said.

_"Expelliarmus!" _

_"Expelliarmus!" _

_"Expelliarmus." _

_"Reducto__!"_ Ginny said.

Then the figure turned into dust.

_"Expelliarmus!" _

_"Expelliarmus!" _

_"Expelliarmus!" _

_"Expelliarmus__!"_ Neville said.

Then the girl in front of him wand went out of her hand.

"Fantastic, Neville. Well done, man." Harry said.

"So that's it for this lesson.

Now, we' re not gonna be meeting again until after the holidays. So just keep practicing on your own as best you can. And well done, everyone. Great, great work."

Everyone started clapping then got their things.

"Well done, mate." Ron said.

"Thanks." he said.

"See you after Christmas."

"See you in the Common Room, Harry." Hermione said.

"Thanks a lot, Harry." Neville said.

"No worries." he said.

"Thank you so much." someone else said.

"Not at all. Merry Christmas." he said.

"Thank you, Harry." someone said.

"Thank you. Merry Christmas." he said.

"Merry Christmas." someone else said.

"Have a good Christmas Harry!" Luna said.

"Have a great Christmas, Luna." he said back.

"We've been thinking. We could always slip Umbridge some Puking Pastilles." George said.

"Or Fever Fudge. They give you massive, pus-filled boils..." Fred said.

"Sounds great, guys. Would you excuse me?" Harry said.

He started to walk over to Cho.

"Are you all right? I heard Umbridge gave you a rough time the other day."

"Yeah. I'm okay. Anyway, it's worth it. It's just, learning all this... makes me wonder whether, if he'd known it..." Cho said.

"Cedric did know this stuff. He was really good. It's just, Voldemort was better." he said.

"You're a really good teacher, Harry. I've never been able to stun anything before. Mistletoe." she said.

"Probably full of Nargles, though."

"What are Nargles?"

"No idea."

Then they started to kiss each other. After that Harry headed back to the common room.

"Well, how was it?" Ron asked.

"Wet. I mean, she was sort of crying."

"That bad at it, are you?" Tracey said.

"I'm sure Harry's kissing was more than satisfactory. Cho spends half her time crying these days. You'd think a bit of snagging would cheer her up. Don't you understand how she must be feeling?" Hermione said.

They looked at her confused.

"Well, obviously she's feeling sad about Cedric... and confused about liking Harry and guilty about kissing him... conflicted because Umbridge might sack her mum from the Ministry... and frightened of failing her OWLs because she's worrying about everything."

"One person couldn't feel all that. They'd explode." Ron said.

"Just because you've got the emotional range of a teaspoon..." she said.

Then they all started laughing.

A few hours later Harry was a sleep and saw a snake. It was Nagini. Then he heard something and saw Mr. Weasley.

_'Voldemort is after something. Something he didn't have the last time.'_ he heard Sirius say.

_"Harry." _

_Then he saw Nagini bite him. _

_"Ahh!" _

He tossed and turned while he listened to him.

Finally he woke up and took deep breaths. He saw Ron look at him. A few minutes later Harry, Tracey, Ron and the other three Weasley's were at Dumbledore's office.

"In the dream were you standing next to the victim or looking down at the screen?" Dumbledore asked not looking at him.

"Neither, I only heard, Professor can you please just tell me what's going on?" Harry asked.

"Everard, Arthur's on guard duty tonight. Make sure he's found by the right people."

"Sir." Harry said.

"Phineas. You must go to your portrait at Grimmauld Place. Tell them that Arthur Weasley is gravely injured... and his children will be arriving there soon by Portkey."

"They've got him, Albus. It was close, but they think he'll make it."

"Look at me!" Harry yelled.

Everyone looked at him in shock.

"What's happening to me?"

Dumbledore sighed.

"Since the Halloween night when you were five I had a theory that you would have a connection between you and Voldemort when he came back."

Harry and Tracey looked at him and waited.

"I was correct. Which is why I taught you occlumency and legilimancy while I was training you."

"You didn't teach me because I don't have a connection from the different way I got my scar. Isn't it?" Tracey asked.

"Yes." Dumbledore said.

"Now, why don't you two go back to sleep and head to Grimauld Place tomorrow?" he said.

They nodded and headed to bed.


	11. Chapter 11

Sure enough it was Christmas and everyone was at Grimauld Place.

Harry and Tracey had gotten Sirius his yearly bone and toy earlier. And their parents both books of mystery's. Remus a new jacket together.

Right now they were standing next to the table.

"Ho ho ho marry Christmas!" a flying Santa said while it was in the kitchen.

"Here we go, daddy's back!" Molly said smiling while she pushed Arthur to the table.

Everyone started clapping.

"Sit down everyone now, presents." Molly said.

"And a nice big box for Ron." Arthur said.

"Big box for you. And um, oh come on both of you. I want to see your faces."

"Yes." Ron said while he opened and found a new sweater.

Harry and Tracey fought off the laughter.

'Ahh, the yearly Weasley sweater. Gotta love them.' Tracey said.

It made it even harder not to laugh.

"A toast! To Mr. Harry Potter, without who I would not be here." Arthur said.

Then raised his glass.

"Harry."

"Harry." everyone else said together.

"Harry!" Sirius said.

"Now daddy, pass that to daddy." Moly said.

After dinner Harry and Tracey headed to the Black family tree.

Then Sirius came in.

"I haven't been in here for a while." he said.

"You hate this room, don't you?" Tracey asked.

"Yes." Then he looked at Harry and frowned. "What's wrong?"

He sighed.

"Sirius, when I was... When I saw Mr. Weasley attacked, I wasn't just watching. I was the snake. And afterwards, in Dumbledore's office... there was a moment when I wanted to... This connection between me and Voldemort. What if the reason for it is that I am becoming more like him? I just feel so angry all the time. And what if, after everything that I've been through... something's gone wrong inside. What if I'm becoming bad?"

"Oh come off it. Harry Potter dark?" Tracey said.

"She's right Harry. You're not a bad person. You know that there are two different people. Light and Death Eaters. You're a very good person that troubles with bad things happening. You're never going to go Dark. Under stand?"

He nodded and then gave him a hug.

Then they heard someone knock.

"Harry, Tracey, time to go." Hermione said.

So they headed back to Godric Hollow.

When the kids were in bed Dumbledore came to have a chat with James and Lily about Harry.

"Lily, James I'm afraid at times Harry will still be able to just hear the connection between him and Voldemort." Dumbledore said.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked.

"I mean that if I hadn't trained him when he was younger he would be able to see things. I warned you that he would have a connection when he came back. Remember?"

They nodded.

"I know he uses occlumency full time and as tightly as he can. But there is still a bit of it in him. I wasn't completely sure it would be fully locked. When he told me about the dream he had last year I was correct. I just wanted to wait until he came back and the connection was fully there."

They sat there quietly for a few minutes.

"There's a way that Voldemort will find out. Won't there? Even though he has it locked full time and as strong as he can." James asked while he rubbed Lily's back.

"Yes. I don't know how but there will be a way. With Severus with him but on our side he may need him to do something. You can still trust him, Voldemort doesn't know he's on our side, remember that James."

He nodded.

"There's one thing that Harry's done with Tracey."

"Which is what?"

"He taught her occlumency a few years ago to make her safe. They told me a few days ago."

"Good. It will make her safer." Lily said.

"Well you have to remember Lil, they protect each other. Especially Harry with her being his little sister. Everyone knows that an older sibling is protective of the younger. And Harry is being taught how to be an alpha of Remus' pack in the future." James said.

"True." she said shrugging.

When they got home Harry, Ron, Hermione, Tracey, James, Sirius and Remus were in the basement waiting for the two werewolves to transform.

A few minutes later they were in their animagus.

While they kept them busy Harry was calmer this month because he was back home.

Paddy, Howler, Speedy, Padfoot and Prongs were relieved about that.

When they were done as usual Lily looked at them and they only had scratches this time.

Sure enough they were back in school and Harry was with Cho right now when Hermione called him out.

"Harry!" Hermione said.

"What?" he asked.

"Hagrid's back." she said.

He looked at Cho then back at the other three.

"I'm sorry."

Then they started running to his hut.

"I'm going to ask you one last time. I'm ordering you to tell me where you've been."

"I told you. I've been away for me health."

"Your health?"

"Yeah you know, a little fresh air."

"If I were you, I shouldn't get too used to being back. In fact, I mightn't bother unpacking at all."

Then she left and the other four went inside.

"This is top-secret, right? Dumbledore sent me to parley with the giants." Hagrid said.

"_Giants_?" Hermione asked.

"Shh." he said.

"You found them?" Tracey said.

"Well, they're not that hard to find, to be perfectly honest. They're so big, see? I tried to convince them to join the cause.

But I wasn't the only one that

was trying to win them over."

"Death Eaters?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Trying to persuade them to join You-Know-Who."

"Did they?" Tracey asked.

"I gave them Dumbledore's message. Suppose some of them remember he was friendly to them. I suppose."

"And they did this to you?" Harry asked.

"Not exactly, no."

Then Fang started barking after seeing Hagrid put steak in his eye.

"Oh, go on, you have it, then, you dozy dog. It's changing out there. Just like last time. There's a storm coming, Harry, Tracey. We'd all best be ready when she does."

The next day during breakfast Neville was ready the paper and read about Bellatrix Lestrange getting out of Azkaban.

"Dumbledore warned Fudge this could happen. He's just going to get us all killed even though he doesface the fact."

Then Seamus appeared and looked at the four of them.

"Harry. I uh, I need to apologize for mum. What I'm really trying to say is that, she believes you. She looked at the memories because Dumbledore said if she doesn't he'll give me a months detention for skipping potions." he said.

A few hours later they were done with Dumbledore's Army for the day when Harry and Tracey saw Neville.

"Neville?" Harry asked.

"Fourteen years ago... a Death Eater called Bellatrix Lestrange used the cruciatus curse on my parents. She tortured them. But they never gave in." Neville said.

Then he looked at them.

"I'm quite proud to be their son."

"Well we can make them proud Neville." Tracey said smiling.

A few days later they were working on a patronus charm.

Tracey could already make one so she was following Harry around to help check in on everything.

"Make it a _powerful_ memory, the _happiest_ you can remember. Allow it to fill you up. Keep trying, Seamus." Harry said.

"George, your turn now." Tracey said.

_"Expecto Patronum!" _

"A full-bodied Patronus is the most difficult to produce... but shield forms can also be equally useful against a variety of opponents." Harry said.

"Wow, that was really good." someone said when they saw Ginny's.

"_Fantastic_, Ginny." Harry said.

"Just remember, your Patronus can only protect you for as long as you stay focused. So focus, Luna." Tracey said.

"Think of the happiest thing you can." Harry said.

_"Expecto Patronum__._ I'm trying." Neville said.

"I know. It's good. This is really advanced stuff, guys. You're doing so well." Harry said.

_"Expecto Patronum!"_

Then they heard something and stopped.

A bit of the door was open and Tracey walked over a bit.

"I'll make short work of this." Umbridge said.

_"Bombarda Maxima." _

Harry grabbed her and moved them.

Malfoy pulled Cho out and Harry frowned.

"Get them!" Umbridge said.

Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione were sent up to Dumbledore's office.

"Been watching them for weeks and see, Dumbledore's Army. Proof of what I've been telling you right from the very beginning, Cornelius. All your fear-mongering about You-know-who. ...never fooled us for a minute. We saw your lies for what they were: A smokescreen for your bid to seize control of the Ministry." Umbridge said.

"Naturally." Dumbledore said.

"No, professor. He had nothing to do with it. It was me." Harry said.

"Most noble of you, Harry, to shield me, but as has been pointed out... the parchment clearly says "Dumbledore's Army," not "Potter's." he said.

"Auror Kingsley. I want you to take Dumbledore to Azkaban." Fudge said.

He didn't want to but did it from being blackmailed by Lucius.

"Ah, I thought we might hit this little stab. You want me to do,what was the frees, come quietly? Well, I have no attendant of going." Dumbledore said.

"Enough of this! Take him!" Umbridge said.

Dumbledore winked and then Fawkes came while he put up his hands and then he was gone.

"Whoa. Uh, you may not like it minister, but you can't deny, Dumbledore's got style." Kingsley said.


	12. Chapter 12

When Dumbledore was gone Umbridge took over. They were all in the great hall in desks doing their class work. While Umbridge sat in front of them all.

When they were all done they started to leave. Cho was standing there waiting for Harry.

"Harry?" she said.

Harry just stood there for a few seconds then left.

Harry, Tracey, Ron and Hermione were outside right now walking.

"Even Dumbledore didn't expect this. Harry if it's anyone's fault it ours." Hermione said.

"Yeah, we talked you into it." Ron said.

"Yeah but I agreed. I tried so hard to help. And yet it all goes down." he said.

Tracey opened her mouth to say something but was interrupted by something.

They all looked turned around and saw Hagrid.

"Hagrid?" Tracey said.

He waved to have them follow him.

While they did that they were wondering what he was.

"Any idea of where he's taking us?" Ron asked.

"Hagrid, why can't you just tell us?" Harry asked.

Then a lot of centaurs were running around.

"I've never seen centaurs so reckless!" Hagrid said.

"Hagrid what's going on?" Tracey asked.

"Sorry for being so secretive to you four. But with Dumbledore gone, I'm afraid I'm gonna be sacked any day now. And I couldn't leave without anyone knowing about him." he said.

Then he turned around.

"Grawpy. Down here you great baboon!"

So the person came and the four of them stepped backwards while he opened his hands and then closed them when he couldn't get what he wanted.

"I couldn't leave him because, because he's my brother."

"Blimey!" Ron said.

"Well half-brother really. But he's completely harmless."

Grawp tried to pick Tracey up but Harry's eyes turned gold a little while started growling and grabbed her before he got her. So he got Hermione instead.

"Ahh!" she said.

"Hagrid do something!" Ron said.

Then he turned around and grabbed a big piece of a tree.

"Grawpy that is not polite! What did I tell ya, you do not grab do you? That's your new friend Hermione." Hagrid said. "Grawp!"

Ron hit his leg with the stick but it broke.

"Grawp! Put, me, down!" Hermione started pointing at him. "Now."

He put her down and she rubbed her arm while Grawp turned around to get something.

"You just stay away from her alright?" Ron said.

"Fine, just need a new hand is all." she said.

Then Grawp came back with a bicycle top and bell in his hand. Then handed it to Hermione.

She grabbed it and then set off the bell.

Then she gave it back to him and he sat down and played with the bell.

"You'll look after him won't you? He gets his own food and all. It's company he'll be needing while I'm gone."

They all nodded and then headed back to school.


	13. Chapter 13

Before they knew it they were on their OWLs. While they worked on it Harry stopped for a few minutes and then his scar started to burn hard.

He was tired from a full moon next week and training with Dumbledore. He was now in his seventh year and was closer to getting advanced and wandless magic. Dumbledore had a feeling he'd be there by the end of the year from working hard all summer and year.

Dumbledore had owled him saying he was still going to train him in the Room of Requirements.

He shut his connection as tightly as he could. Then he started to hear something but tried the best he could to ignore it and focus on his test.

Tracey saw him doing that and was worried but knew he would be able to fight it.

**'You Ok?'** she asked.

**'Yeah, just my scar is on fire and I'm fighting a vision the best I can. I'm doing pretty good with it to.'** he said.

**'Good. Focus on the exam and you can do it.'** she said smiling at him but still worried.

A few minutes later they heard something and everyone looked at the door.

Umbridge stood up and started to walk to the door while everyone watched her.

When she opened the door an orange light came then Fred and George came on brooms and throwing something and made it turn into a dragon and chase after Umbridge.

When they were outside and it was gone a big W was there at the top.

**'Man am I glad you gave them that money!'** Tracey said.

**'Well with Voldemort fully back we need some fun! And everyone knows the Potters are one of the richest families in London.'** Harry said.

When they all left and got changed Harry had his friends and sister go to Umbridge to check on his and Tracey's parents and uncles really quick.

After feeling what happened he could also still hear a bit of it. He didn't think it was real but still wanted to check on them.

"Harry, you're mental, we're going to get caught!" Ron said.

"That. You. Are!"

Then they all turned around and saw Umbridge.

A few seconds later he was tied to a chair.

"You were going to Dumbledore weren't you?" she asked.

"No." Harry said.

_'Not today that is.'_ he thought.

Then she slapped him.

"You sent me headmistress?" Snape said.

"Snape! It's time for answers. Have you got any veritaserum?"

"I'm afraid you you used up all my my storages on Ms. Chang." Snape said.

Then looked at Harry and he nodded and unlocked his occlumency.

After he saw the vision he heard a bit of he slowly nodded then continued.

"Unless you wish to poison him, I cannot help you." he said and left.

When he was done Harry locked it as strong as he could.

"Very well then. Since you won't answer it appears that I'll have to force you with, the cruciatus spell. I've heard you can fight off the imperious curse."

"That's illegal." Hermione said.

"What Cornelius doesn't know, won't hurt him." she said putting the picture down.

She opened her mouth but Hermione said something before she said it.

"Tell her Harry!" Hermione said.

"Tell me what?" she asked.

"Well If you won't, I will." Hermione continued.

When they left they headed to the forbidden Forest.

"How much further?" Umbridge asked while they walked.

"Not far." Hermione said.

"What are you doing?" Tracey asked.

"Improvising." she whispered.

When they got to where they were supposed to Grawp was gone.

"Well, where is this weapon? There isn't one is there? You know, I really hate children." Umbridge said.

Then some centaurs came with their arrow out.

"You have no business here centaur. This is the ministry-"

She made a shield before she was hit by a bow.

"How dare you! _Indeciscrus!"_

Then rope went around its neck.

"Please! Please stop it!" Hermione said.

"Enough! I will have order! Ahh!" she said after Grawp picked her up.

"No! It's not his fault! No! You don't understand!" Hermione said.

Harry started to grab her hand while she talked.

Centaurs took her when she was down again.

"What do you think you're doing? I'm ministry worker Deloris Jane Umbridge! Let me go!" she yelled while they ran away.

"Thank you Grawp." Hermione said.

Then a patronus came out of nowhere.

"Ah!" Tracey said and jumped.

_"Family safe at headquarters. Go to common room."_ Snape's patronus said.

So they headed back to school.

Harry was on his way to the common room to try and get some rest. Ron, Hermione and Tracey were already there because Harry wanted to grab some water from the kitchen.

When he got there he saw Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Tracey and Luna.

"What?" he asked.

"I know you started to feel your scar burn and fight the most occlumency you could." Tracey said.

"I did it didn't I? You know I have it as strong as Snape."

"Yes but I know you have trouble staying out of your connection." Tracey said.

Harry opened his mouth when something big fell on to everyone and they realized it was a Portkey.


	14. Chapter 14

When they got there they looked around. Harry looked and saw the number 96.

"That's the number I've been having dreams of in the beginning of the year." he said.

"Harry, Tracey? You might wanna come see this." Neville said.

So they headed to Neville and saw a prophecy.

Harry saw his name on it and then picked it up and looked at it. Then they heard something.

"Harry." Hermione said.

"You know, you really should learn to be more careful." Lucius Malfoy said while he took off his mask. "You are only here for what the Dark Lord wants. Now, hand me the prophecy."

"If you do anything to us, I'll break it." Harry said.

"Hahahaha! He knows how to play. Itty, bitty baby. Potters." someone said.

Neville recognized it. "Bellatrix Lastrange."

"Neville Longbottom is it? How's Mum and dad?"

"Better, now they're about to be avenged." he said taking out his wand.

Bellatrix gasped and took out her wand while Harry stopped him.

"Now, let's everybody just calm down... shall we? All we want is that prophecy." Lucius said with his hands out.

"Why did Voldemort need us to come and get this?" Tracey asked.

"You dare speak his name? You filthy half-blood!" Bellatrix yelled.

"It's all right. They're just curious children, aren't they? Prophecies can only be retrieved by those about whom they are made. Which is lucky for you, really. Haven't you always wondered... what was the reason for the connection between you and the Dark Lord? Why he was unable to kill you or your sister... when you were only five? Don't you want to know the secret of your scar? I'm aware that she was hit with a piece of your ceiling that night. All the answers are there, Potter, in your hand. All you have to do... is give it to me. Then I can show you everything."

"We've waited 14 years." Tracey said.

"I know." he said looking sad.

"We guess we can wait a little longer. Now! Stupefy!" Harry said.

_"Stupefy!"_ they all said together.

Then they all started running.

Luna was hit by a Death Eater and fell on the ground.

_"Levicorpus!"_ she said causing the Death Eater to go up.

_"Petrificus Totalus!"_ Neville said hitting a Death Eater

"Well done, Neville." Luna said and pulled him away.

_"Stupefy!"_ Hermione said.

_"Stupefy!"_ Ron said.

_"Stupefy!"_ Harry said.

_"Stupefy!"_ Tracey said.

"_Stupefy! Reducto!_ Get back to the door!" Harry called.

So they all started running and then looked around when they got there.

"Department of Mysteries. They got that bit right, didn't they?" Ron said.

Harry started to hear something and took out his wand.

"Get behind me." Harry called.

While they ran the death eaters suddenly appeared and took Ron, Hermione, Luna, Neville and Ginny around the necks with their wands in front of them. Harry and Tracey looked around.

"Did you actually believe... or were you truly naive enough to think... that children stood a chance against us?" Lucius said.

Harry and Tracey looked at their friends.

"I'll make this simple for you, Potters. Give me the prophecy now... or watch your friends die."

"Don't give it to him, Harry, Tracey!" Neville said.

Then Bellatrix pushed her wand on him harder.

Harry looked at Lucius and gave it to him.

While he raised it Harry and Tracey saw someone coming.

"Get away from my godson and niece." Sirius said and punched him.

Sure enough The Order appeared and started dueling.

"Now, listen to me. Take the others and get out of here you two." Sirius said.

"What, no we're staying with you!" Harry said while Tracey nodded.

"You've done beautifully, now let us take it from here." Sirius said

Then they were almost hit with something by someone. Sirius aimed it back.

Harry stood up and Tracey followed.

While James fought Lucius with Harry Sirius dueled Bellatrix with Tracey.

The other kids were hiding and watched Harry and Tracey dueling with Sirius and James.

_"Expelliarmus!"_ Harry and James said together.

"Nice one, James, Harry!" Sirius said.

_"Avada Kedavra!"_ Bellatrix said.

Tracey jumped but it hit Sirius.

When it hit him Harry and Tracey looked at him.

Remus took Harry and Lily took Tracey.

They weren't listening and both had their eyes shut and didn't hear or see James get Sirius out.

Harry turned his head and saw Bellatrix running, his eyes turning gold.

He jumped off of Remus and started to run.

Remus stood there and watched while Tracey saw Sirius come back.

"I killed Sirius Black! He's going to get me! You're going to get me!" Bellatrix said while she ran.

_"CRUCIO!"_ he yelled and got her on the ground.

He held his hand out while she whimpered a little.

"You've got to _mean_ it Harry. She killed him. She disservice's it."

Harry's neck started to move.

"You know the spell, Harry."

Then he stopped. He aimed his wand at Voldemort but he knocked out his wand.

"So weak." Voldemort said.

Then out of nowhere Dumbledore appeared.

"Foolish of you to come here tonight Tom. The Aurors are on their way. And I've been training Harry since going into fourth year and trained him when he was younger. He can do all seven years in silent magic and will be doing advanced and wandless magic this summer."

"By which time I shall be gone, and you, shall be dead."

A few seconds later they were dueling each other. Then Voldemort disappeared.

"Stay where you are Harry!" Dumbledore said.

Suddenly Harry felt something and went to the ground.

Dumbledore knelt down next to him. Then he heard something coming from him.

"You've lost old man." said Voldemort through Harry.

"AHH!" Harry yelled.

He started to see memories and pictures of things Voldemort had done. The Halloween night and his parents talking to him. The night he became a werewolf. Getting hit by him. Cedric being killed, the night he returned and Voldemort appearing. And seeing how much they're alike and a picture of him having his face.

"Look at me." Voldemort said.

"Harry, it _isn't_ how you are alike, it's how you are _not_." Dumbledore said.

Harry laid there fighting the pictures and saw his friends and family, his and Remus' pack.

He opened his eyes and saw Tracey, Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny and Luna.

He looked mostly at his parents, sister, uncles, Ron and Hermione.

"You're the weak one, and you'll never know love, or friendship. And I feel sorry for you."

Dumbledore heard and smiled a little. He then shut his eyes tightly and focused on the memories he had of his friends and family.

The day they met Ron and Hermione, all the fun they had with them. The fun he had with Tracey. When they told him they were going to help him on full moons. Finally Voldemort came out and stood in front of him.

"You're a fool Harry Potter, and you will lose, everything."

Then the ministry appeared and saw as Voldemort disappeared.

"He's truly back!" Fudge said.

He felt someone hold him and everyone started to walk over to him.


	15. Chapter 15

A few minutes later the Potters, Sirius and Remus were in Dumbledore's office.

Then he came out of his own flew network.

"Albus, it's their fifth year, it's time for them to know. Especially Harry." Lily said.

He sighed and realized they were right.

"Alright, sit down please." he said.

So they sat down and waited.

"It is time," he said, "for me to tell you what I should have told you five years ago, Harry, Tracey. I am going to tell you everything. I ask only a little patience. You will have your chance to rage at me - to do whatever you like - when I have finished. I will not stop you."

They nodded and waited.

Dumbledore stared for a moment at the sunlit grounds outside the window, then looked back at Harry and Tracey and said,

"Five years ago you two arrived at Hogwart. You wonder why I had you four go into hiding the first war."

He paused. Neither Harry or Tracey said nothing.

"My answer is that my priority was to keep you two alive. You were in more danger than perhaps anyone but I realized. Voldemort had been vanquished hours before, but his supporters - and many of them are almost as terrible as he - were still at large, angry, desperate and violent. Which is why I had you stay in hiding a bit longer. Did I believe that Voldemort was gone for ever? No. I knew not whether it would be ten, twenty or fifty years before he returned, but I was sure he would do so, and I was sure, too, knowing him as I have done, that he would not rest until he killed one of you.

"I knew that Voldemort's knowledge of magic is perhaps more extensive than any wizard alive. I knew that even my most complex and powerful protective spells and charms were unlikely to be invincible if he ever returned to full power. Which is why I started to train you so young and again Harry.

"Five years ago, then," continued Dumbledore, as though he had not paused in his story, "you two arrived at Hogwarts, as happy and as well-nourished as I would have liked. You were not a pampered little prince, but as normal a boy as I could have hoped under the circumstances. You told your family to treat the two of you equally and they did. Thus far, my plan was working well.

"And then… well, you two will remember the events of your first year at Hogwarts quite as clearly as I and your parents do. And probably Remus and Sirius. You two rose magnificently to the challenge that faced you and sooner - much sooner - than I had anticipated, you found yourselves face to face with Voldemort. You two survived again. You did more. You delayed his return to full power and strength. You fought a man's fight. I was… prouder of you two than I can say. I'm sure your parents are to."

They smiled and nodded. Still not happy about what they've been through but still proud.

"Yet there was a flaw in this wonderful plan of mine," said Dumbledore. "An obvious flaw that I knew, even then, might be the undoing of it all. And yet, knowing how important it was that my plan should succeed, I told myself that I would not permit this flaw to ruin it. I alone could prevent this, so I alone must be strong. And here was my first test, as you lay in the hospital wing, weak from your struggle with Voldemort. Tracey was there to but not as long as you."

"I don't understand what you're saying," said Harry.

"Me neither." Tracey said.

"Don't you remember asking me, as you lay in the hospital wing, why Voldemort had tried to kill you two when you were five?"

They nodded.

"Ought I to have told you then?"

They stared into the blue eyes and said nothing, but their hearts were racing again.

"You do not see the flaw in the plan yet? No… perhaps not. Well, as you know, I decided not to answer you. Eleven, I told myself, was much too young to know. I had never intended to tell you when you were eleven. The knowledge would be too much at such a young age.

"I should have recognized the danger signs then. I should have asked myself why I did not feel more disturbed that you had already asked me the question to which I knew, one day, I must give a terrible answer. I should have recognized that I was too happy to think that I did not have to do it on that particular day… You were too young, much too young. And so we entered your second year at Hogwarts.

"And once again you two met challenges even grown wizards have never faced: once again you acquitted yourselves beyond my wildest dreams. Neither of you did not ask me again, however, why Voldemort had your left that mark on you Harry. We discussed scar, oh yes… we came very, very close to the subject. Why did I not tell you everything?

"Well, it seemed to me that twelve was, after all, hardly better than eleven to receive such information. As worried as I was when we found out he was back I allowed you two to leave my presence, bloodstained, exhausted but exhilarated, and if I felt a twinge of unease that I ought, perhaps, to have told you then, it was swiftly silenced. You were still so young, you see, and I could not find it in myself to spoil that night of triumph…

"Do you see, Tracey, Harry? Do you see the flaw in my brilliant plan now? I had fallen into the trap I had foreseen, that I had told myself I could avoid, that I must avoid."

"We don't –" Tracey started.

"I cared about you two too much," said Dumbledore simply.

"I cared more for your happiness than your knowing the truth, more for your peace of mind than my plan, more for your life than the lives that might be lost if the plan failed.

In other words, I acted exactly as Voldemort expects we fools who love to act.

"Is there a Defense? I defy anyone who has watched you two as I have - and I have watched you two more closely than you can have imagined - not to want to save you more pain than you had already suffered. What did I care if numbers of nameless and faceless people and creatures were slaughtered in the vague future, if in the here and now you were both alive, and well, and happy? I never dreamed that I would have such a person on my hands.

"We entered your third year. I watched from afar as you struggled to repel Dementors, as you found Peter, bitten by Remus, learned what Peter did to you four. Was I to tell you then, at the moment when you had triumphantly saved your godfather Harry?"

Sirius smiled proud of Harry.

"But now, at the age of thirteen, my excuses were running out. Young you two might be, but you had proved you were exceptional. My conscience was uneasy, Tracey, Harry. I knew the time must come soon…

"But Harry came out of the maze last year, having watched Cedric Diggory die, having escaped death so narrowly himself… and I did show them, I knew, now Voldemort had fully returned, I must do it soon. And now, tonight, I know you two have long been ready for the knowledge I have kept from you for so long, because you have proved that I should have placed the burden upon you before this. My only Defense is this: I have watched you two struggling under more burdens than any student who as ever passed through this school and I could not bring myself to add another - the greatest one of all."

They waited, but Dumbledore did not speak.

"We still don't understand." Harry said.

"Voldemort tried to kill you two when you were a child because of a prophecy made shortly before your birth. He knew the prophecy had been made, though he did not know its full contents. He set out to kill one of you when you were still as young as he could, believing he was fulfilling the terms of the prophecy. He discovered, to his cost, that he was mistaken, when the curse intended to kill you backfired. And so, since his return to his body, and particularly since your extraordinary escape from him last year, he has been determined to hear that prophecy in its entirety. This is the weapon he has been seeking so assiduously since his return: the knowledge of how to destroy one of you."

Lily and James were holding each other's hands tightly together.

Sirius and Remus were worried to. Sirius had a hand on Harry's shoulder and Remus did the same thing with Tracey.

The sun had risen fully now: Dumbledore's office was bathed in it. The glass case in which the sword of Godric Gryffindor resided gleamed white and opaque, the fragments of the instruments Harry had thrown to the floor glistened like raindrops, and behind him, the baby Fawkes made soft chirruping noises in his nest of ashes.

"The prophecy's smashed," Harry said blankly. "It slipped out of Lucius' hand when he fell."

"The thing that smashed was merely the record of the prophecy kept by the Department of Mysteries. But the prophecy was made to somebody, and that person has the means of recalling it perfectly."

"Who heard it?" asked Tracey, though they thought they knew the answer already.

"I did," said Dumbledore. "On a cold, wet night sixteen years ago, in a room above the bar at the Hog's Head inn. I had gone there to see an applicant for the post of Divination teacher, though it was against my inclination to allow the subject of Divination to continue at all. The applicant, however, was the great-great-granddaughter of a very famous, very gifted Seer and I thought it common politeness to meet her. I was disappointed. It seemed to me that she had not a trace of the gift herself. I told her, courteously I hope, that I did not think she would be suitable for the post. I turned to leave."

Dumbledore got to his feet and walked past them to the black cabinet that stood beside Fawkes's perch. He bent down, slid back a catch and took from inside it the shallow stone basin, carved with runes around the edges.

Dumbledore walked back to the desk, placed the Pensieve upon it, and raised his wand to his own temple.

From it, he withdrew silvery, gossamer-fine strands of thought clinging to the wand and deposited them into the basin. He sat back down behind his desk and watched his thoughts swirl and drift inside the Pensieve for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he raised his wand and prodded the silvery substance with its tip.

A figure rose out of it, draped in shawls, her eyes magnified to enormous size behind her glasses, and she revolved slowly; her feet in the basin. But when Sibyll Trelawney spoke, it was not in her usual ethereal, mystic voice, but in the harsh, hoarse tones Harry had heard her use once before:

_"The one with the power to vanquish the - Dark Lord approaches… born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies… and the Dark Lord will mark them as his equal, but they will have power the Dark Lord knows not… and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives… the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies…"_

The slowly revolving Professor Trelawney sank back into the silver mass below and vanished.

The silence within the office was absolute. Neither Dumbledore, Tracey nor Harry nor any of the portraits made a sound. Even Fawkes had fallen silent. Sirius, Remus, James and Lilly looked Harry and Tracey.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Harry said very quietly, for Dumbledore, still staring at the Pensieve, seemed completely lost in thought.

"It… did that mean… what did that mean?" Tracey asked.

"It meant," said Dumbledore, "that the person who has the only chance of conquering Lord Voldemort for good was born at the end of July, nearly sixteen years ago. This child would be born to parents who had already defied Voldemort three times."

"It means - me and Tracey?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore surveyed him for a moment through his glasses.

"The odd thing, Harry," he said softly, "is that it may not have meant you two at all. Sibyll's prophecy could have applied to two wizard boys and one witch, all born at the end of July that year, all of whom had parents in the Order of the Phoenix, all sets of parents having narrowly escaped Voldemort three times. One, of course, was you and Tracey. The other was Neville Longbottom."

"But then… but then, why was it my name on the prophecy and not Trace or Neville's?" Harry asked.

"The official record was re-labeled after Voldemort's attack on you two as a child," said Dumbledore.

"It seemed plain to the keeper of the Hall of Prophecy that Voldemort could only have tried to kill one of you because he knew you two to be the one to whom Sibyll was referring."

"Then - it might not be us?" said Tracey.

"I am afraid," said Dumbledore slowly, looking as though every word cost him a great effort, "that there is no doubt that it is you Harry."

"But you said - Neville was born at the end of July, too - and his mum and dad –" Harry said.

"You are forgetting the next part of the prophecy, the final identifying feature of the child who could vanquish Voldemort… Voldemort himself would mark them as his equal. And so he did, Harry. He chose you, not Neville or Tracey. He gave you the scar that has proved both blessing and curse."

"But he might have chosen wrong!" said Harry. "He might have marked the wrong person!"

"He chose the child he thought most likely to be a danger to him," said Dumbledore. "And notice this, Harry, Tracey: he chose, not the pureblood (which, according to his creed, is the only kind of wizard worth being or knowing) but the half-blood, like himself. He saw himself in you two before he had ever seen you, and in marking you with that scar Harry, he did not kill you, as he intended, but gave you powers, and a future, which have fitted you to escape him not once, but four times so far - something that neither your parents, nor Neville's parents, ever achieved."

"Why did he do it, then?" said Harry, who felt numb and cold.

"Why did he try and kill us as kids? He should have waited to see whether Neville, Harry or I looked more dangerous when we were older and tried to kill whoever it was then –" Tracey started.

"That might, indeed, have been the more practical course," said Dumbledore, "except that Voldemort's information about the prophecy was incomplete. The Hog's Head inn, which Sibyll chose for its cheapness, has long attracted, shall we say, a more interesting clientele than the Three Broomsticks. As you two and your friends found out to your cost, and I to mine that night, it is a place where it is never safe to assume you are not being overheard. Of course, I had not dreamed, when I set out to meet Sibyll Trelawney, that I would hear anything worth overhearing. My - our - one stroke of good fortune was that the eavesdropper was detected only a short way into the prophecy and thrown from the building."

"So he only heard -?" Harry started.

"He heard only the beginning, the part foretelling the birth of a child in July to parents who had thrice defied Voldemort. Consequently, he could not warn his master that to attack you would be to risk transferring power to you, and marking you as his equal. So Voldemort never knew that there might be danger in attacking you, that it might be wise to wait, to learn more. He did not know that you would have power the Dark Lord knows not–"

"But I/he don't/doesn't!" said Harry and Tracey together, in a strangled voice. "I haven't any powers he hasn't got, I couldn't fight the way he did tonight, I can't possess people or - or kill them -"

"There is a room in the Department of Mysteries," interrupted Dumbledore, "that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all. That power saved you from possession by Voldemort, because he could not bear to reside in a body so full of the force he detests. In the end, it was your heart that saved you. I know you have trouble fighting the vision which is why I had Severus teach you occlumency when you were younger."

Harry asked curious about the answer, "The end of the prophecy... it was something about neither... can live..."

"…while the other survives," said Dumbledore.

"So," said Harry, dredging up the words from what felt like a deep well of despair inside him, "so does that mean that… that one of us has got to kill the other one… in the end?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore.

For a long time, none of them spoke. Somewhere far beyond the office walls, they could hear the sound of voices, students heading down to the Great Hall for an early breakfast, perhaps. His eyes would go from gold to green a few times.

It was the last day of school and were on their way to the train. Harry and Tracey med up with Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna.

"We've been thinking about something Dumbledore gave us last night." Harry said.

"Yeah?" Ron said.

"That even though there's a fight coming up in front of us we have something that he doesn't." Tracey said.

"Which is what?" Hermione asked.

"Something worth fighting for." Harry said.

Then they headed to the train and headed home. It was going to be a hard and probably a worse war, but with Harry and Tracey knowing what he was doing last time and them turning sixteen, it will make it easier and quicker. They know it.

As long as they have each other and people they care about it will go fine.


End file.
